Blogs

by Hy-Tape International, Inc.

Contact dermatitis is a major concern for health care professionals involved in wound management. The condition can have a significant impact on patients' well-being and can lead to pain, increased risk of infection, and delayed wound healing. These issues can significantly affect both the costs of wound care and patients' outcomes. It is critical that health care professionals make reducing the risk of contact dermatitis a top priority by using safe and gentle wound care products and following wound care best practices.

By Susan Cleveland, BSN, RN, WCC, CDP, NADONA Board Secretary

So, you’ve selected the support surface that is perfect for the resident. What’s next? Next steps: education, utilization, reassessment, and repeat. So many questions! Remember, as I have said before, nothing here is common sense, only common knowledge. It is your responsibility to make sure the staff left in charge of the direct care of residents has that knowledge. Think basics!

By Gregory Schultz, PhD

In my recent WoundSource webinar on the assessment and treatment of chronic wounds and biofilms, I discussed the pathogenesis of chronic wounds and offered a biofilm-based wound care protocol to promote healing.

by the WoundSource Editors

There has been extensive research on how to prevent skin care-related skin breakdown, and most research agrees on a few main components. Eliminating skin contact with sweat, urine, and stool reduces the risk of maceration and incontinence-associated dermatitis and thereby helps to prevent or minimize skin breakdown. Proper mattress selection and offloading devices are important for minimizing the impact of weight on bony prominences. Nutritional therapy is also a key component of maintaining skin integrity. This is because this therapy supplies nutrients that the body requires, as well as hydration. Turning, repositioning, and avoiding the impact of shear force when adjusting the patient are important to eliminate mechanical forces that can break down the tissue. Most importantly, having a consistent method to assess skin integrity and using a validated scale such as the Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Sore Risk® (Braden Scale) are the most effective methods of tracking changes and implementing the necessary interventions based on the area or areas of deficiency.